We’re As Sober As Our Driving
[fa icon="calendar'] Aug 6, 2019 12:37:42 PM / by John MacDougall posted in Recovery, Sober Housing, alcohol abuse, AA Big Book, Alcohol & Health
Where is this Spiritual Awakening?
[fa icon="calendar'] Jul 29, 2019 2:13:44 PM / by Kara F posted in Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 steps of aa, AA Big Book, 12 Traditions Of AA, Chemical Dependency
“Step 12 says “as a result” of these steps. It doesn’t say you can work on the steps if and only if you first have a spiritual awakening. So I needed to start over and work on steps 1-11 first. "
Celebrating My Freedom on Independence Day
[fa icon="calendar'] Jul 3, 2019 2:17:50 PM / by John MacDougall posted in Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, AA meetings, 12 steps of aa, AA Big Book
“What has God done for me, that I could never do for myself? On Independence Day, 2019, I get to celebrate 30 years of continuous sobriety in the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous."
The Road to Relapse
[fa icon="calendar'] Jun 14, 2019 1:05:34 PM / by Maj Donovan posted in AA meetings, AA Big Book, Men's Sober Residential, Women's Sober Residential, Recovery Program
“I stopped going to meetings....I stopped hanging out with people in the program”
The Grouch and The Brainstorm
[fa icon="calendar'] May 1, 2019 7:32:17 AM / by John MacDougall posted in Sober Housing, 12 steps of aa, AA Big Book, Men's Sober Residential, Women's Sober Residential
Most weekdays I work at The Retreat as the Spiritual Care Coordinator. Most of the time I am meeting with men and women who have already identified themselves as alcoholics and addicts who need recovery and want recovery, using the Twelve Steps and the Big Book of alcoholics anonymous. They understood that what The Retreat has is a thirty day immersion into the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. What The Retreat does not have is radio, television, computers, cell phones, and much in the way of entertainment. We take people who need recovery, put them with people who have recovery, and let everyone benefit from shared experience.
A Program of Action
[fa icon="calendar'] Apr 10, 2019 6:00:00 AM / by Maj Donovan posted in Alcoholics Anonymous, AA meetings, Sober Housing, AA Big Book, Drugs Adiction
“That’s How You Get To Be An Old Pilot!”
[fa icon="calendar'] Apr 2, 2019 6:00:00 AM / by John MacDougall posted in Alcoholics Anonymous, Sober Housing, AA Big Book, Older Adult Recovery Programs, Recovery Program
If tempted, we recoil from it as from a hot flame
[fa icon="calendar'] Feb 27, 2019 6:00:00 AM / by John MacDougall posted in Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism, AA Big Book, Recovery Program, Drugs Adiction
“If I Recover, Who Will I Be?”
[fa icon="calendar'] Nov 14, 2018 9:30:00 AM / by John MacDougall posted in Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 step program, AA meetings, AA Big Book, Recovery Program
I never asked this question when I was getting sober, but I have heard other people ask it. I thought they were raising unreasonable objections to getting sober or expressing resistance to recovery. Over the years, patients at Hazelden and guests at The Retreat have spoken of their reluctance to recover by saying that they are afraid to recover, because they are afraid of who they might be if they stop drinking or drugging. What will happen, they ask, if they get sober and don’t like themselves, or don’t like who they have become?
Humility involves always being open to new learning.
[fa icon="calendar'] Oct 1, 2018 9:19:41 PM / by John MacDougall posted in Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 step program, 12 steps of aa, AA Big Book, Recovery Program
When I was a boy, I eagerly read each issue of Mad Magazine. It’s fictional editor, Alfred E. Neuman, had a quote above the index of each issue. One of my favorites was “Some minds are like concrete: all mixed up and permanently set.” A Peanuts cartoon of that era had Lucy shouting “If you can’t be right, be wrong at the top of your voice.” I’m writing this newsletter during the Senate hearings on a Supreme Court nomination. It seems as if nearly everyone is sure that they know what happened at a high school party long ago: the nominee is guilty, or innocent, depending upon whom you ask. I’m not hearing the more humble opinion of “I don’t know, I wasn’t there.”